Wen Zhong () (died 472 BC) was an advisor in the state of Yue in the

Spring and Autumn period The Spring and Autumn period () was a period in History of China, Chinese history corresponding roughly to the first half of the Eastern Zhou (256 BCE), characterized by the gradual erosion of royal power as local lords nominally subject t ...

. He was a native of Ying in the

State of Chu Chu (, Old Chinese: ''*s-r̥aʔ'') was an Ancient Chinese states, ancient Chinese state during the Zhou dynasty. Their first ruler was King Wu of Chu in the early 8th century BC. Chu was located in the south of the Zhou heartland and lasted ...

. After Yue was defeated by the state of Wu in 494 BC, Wen Zhong bribed

Bo Pi Bo Pi (; died 473 BC) was an official in the state of Wu in the Spring and Autumn period of ancient China. His grandfather, Bo Zhouli (伯州犁), who was an official in the state of Chu, was executed, and Bo Pi fled to Wu, where he served as a ...

, the advisor to the leader of Wu, King

Fuchai Fuchai (reigned 495–473BC), sometimes also written Fucha, was the last king of the state of Wu during the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history. His armies constructed important canals linking the Yellow, Ji, and Huai River systems of ...

, in order to make peace. During King

Goujian Goujian (; r. 496–465 BC) was a king of the Yue state. He succeeded his father, Yunchang (允常), to the Yue throne. Goujian's reign coincided with arguably the last major conflict of the Spring and Autumn period: the struggle between Wu ...

of Yue's captivity in Wu as a hostage, Wen Zhong governed Yue. After his release, Goujian slowly rebuilt Yue with advice from Wen and Fan Li. In the meantime, Wu began to weaken after

Wu Zixu :''Note: names are in simplified characters followed by traditional and Pinyin transliteration.'' Wu Yun (died 484 BC), better known by his courtesy name Zixu, was a Chinese military general and politician of the Wu (state), Wu kingdom in the Spr ...

's death, as Fuchai refused to listen to good counsel. A decade after returning to Yue, Goujian started a new war with Wu, and defeated Fuchai, who committed suicide. Wu was annexed by Yue. After the defeat of Wu, Fan Li left Goujian's services and sent Wen Zhong a letter from Qi, advising Wen Zhong to leave Goujian as well. Upon receiving the letter, Wen Zhong declined to go to court, citing an illness. After defamation by others, he was forced to commit suicide by King Goujian.

References

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Records of the Grand Historian The ''Shiji'', also known as ''Records of the Grand Historian'' or ''The Grand Scribe's Records'', is a Chinese historical text that is the first of the Twenty-Four Histories of imperial China. It was written during the late 2nd and early 1st ce ...

'', volume 41 Generals of the Spring and Autumn period Zhou dynasty government officials Forced suicides of Chinese people Suicides by sharp instrument in China Politicians from Jingzhou Generals from Hubei 5th-century BC Chinese people Chu state people People of Yue (state) 470s BC deaths Suicides in the Spring and Autumn period Executed Zhou dynasty people {{China-politician-stub